LUCKNOW: With a special CBI court set to pronounce its verdict in Lucknow on Wednesday in the Babri mosque demolition case, the Ayodhya administration was busy sprucing up security in the temple town while the seers and Muslims groups associated with the litigation stood divided.
One of the main litigants, Iqbal Ansari, demanded acquittal of all the accused to maintain communal harmony. But Haji Mehboob, also a litigant of the title suit, demanded strictest punishment to the accused.
Special judge SK Yadav will deliver the verdict against 32 accused, including former deputy PM L K Advani.
If the court decision leads to conviction of the accused, three sitting BJP MPs — Lallu Singh of Faizabad, Brij Bhushan Saran Singh of Kaiserganj and Sakshi Maharaj of Unnao — could stand to lose their Lok Sabha membership.
Leaders and mahants based in Ayodhya and accused in the demolition case expressed their willingness to accept the court verdict with a feeling of “pride” as their struggle had culminated in the construction of Ram temple.
Former BJP MP and accused Ram Vilas Vedanti said if he faced conviction, he would accept it with “pride” in the name of Lord Ram.
“If I am punished with a life sentence or even sentenced to death, I shall accept it as my fate,” he said.
Vinay Katiyar, former BJP MP, echoed similar sentiments.
“The SC has settled the dispute over Ram Janmabhoomi, so this case should also end as the fight was for the Ram temple,” he said.